Kubuntu vs. Fedora KDE: Choosing the Perfect KDE Plasma Distro for Your Needs

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Both Kubuntu and Fedora KDE feature the KDE Plasma desktop environment.
• Each distro handles the desktop experience differently.
• One option might be better suited for beginners.

I’ve become a big fan of KDE Plasma. It’s visually stunning, responsive, quick, and as reliable as any desktop available today. Beyond that, it includes capabilities other desktops can only aspire to, such as KDE Activities, KRunner, Window Rules, and KDE Connect.

However, when you decide to give KDE Plasma a try, you’ll discover multiple distributions offering this open-source desktop. So which one should you pick?

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In my view, two distros are particularly noteworthy for those new to KDE Plasma or Linux in general: Kubuntu and Fedora KDE. Since both come with KDE Plasma as the default desktop, you might assume they’re largely identical. They’re not. And I’m here to help you decide.

Kubuntu: What is it and who is it for?

Kubuntu is basically Ubuntu paired with the KDE Plasma desktop. This means you get all of Ubuntu’s ease of use (including the APT package manager, Snap packages, and extensive default repositories), but rather than the Ubuntu-modified GNOME desktop, you receive KDE Plasma.

Straightforward, right? More or less.

Kubuntu presents KDE Plasma in a manner that clearly signals its target audience: new (or relatively new) Linux users. Right from the first startup, you’ll see two desktop shortcuts: one called How-To Guides and another called Kubuntu Websites. (These shortcuts launch the default browser (Firefox) to those respective pages.)

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Kubuntu’s aesthetic feels somewhat dated; it has a Windows 7-like vibe, with a full-width bottom panel, a conventional desktop menu, and a default theme blending dark and light elements. To me, Kubuntu’s appearance isn’t as modern as you’d expect from KDE Plasma, but I believe this is a deliberate choice to avoid intimidating newcomers.

And that’s the essence of Kubuntu: it’s focused on welcoming new users. This variant recognizes that the standard Ubuntu desktop doesn’t resonate with most people, while KDE Plasma does.

Kubuntu makes every effort to guide you through each stage, from installing the OS to using it day-to-day.

Kubuntu’s preinstalled apps

Kubuntu comes loaded with the typical set of preinstalled applications. You’ll find Firefox, LibreOffice, Thunderbird, KDE Connect, Remmina (for remote desktop access), Elisa (music player), Haruna (multimedia player), and the standard KDE utilities (like the Kate text editor).

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Kubuntu includes not only the KDE Discover app store but also ships with the Synaptic package manager and a menu option labeled Manage Software. Click that option (found in the System menu), and a dialog appears asking whether you want to open KDE Discover or Synaptic. If you’re new to Linux and KDE Plasma, skip Synaptic; KDE Discover is significantly more user-friendly.

Surprisingly, Snap isn’t enabled by default in KDE Discover. Snap is installed, but initially, you’d need to use it via the command line. When I attempted to enable it in KDE Discover > Settings > Snap, I found that (for some reason) it wouldn’t cooperate. Because of this, I chose to enable Flatpak instead. To do so, I navigated to KDE Discover > Settings > Discover – “Flatpak backend” and clicked Install.

After the Flatpak backend was installed, I rebooted the system and was then able to enable Flathub and install applications using the universal package manager.

Who is Kubuntu for?

As you’ve probably gathered, Kubuntu is perfect for those who are new to Linux and/or KDE Plasma. This Ubuntu variant makes a concerted effort to simplify the KDE Plasma desktop experience far more than you might anticipate.

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On the flip side, if you’re after a modern, ready-to-use experience, Kubuntu isn’t the right choice. I found Kubuntu’s overall look and feel somewhat unappealing. The upside is that it’s KDE Plasma, so it doesn’t take much effort to customize it to better match your preferences.

Fedora KDE: What is it and who is it for?

Fedora KDE takes a different path with the desktop. It fully commits to a polished, refined desktop that presumes you know your way around.

And since this is built on Fedora, you’re getting more current software and more regular updates. After setting up Fedora KDE, I had to go through the update process (which requires rebooting) four times. Following the fourth update/reboot, it finally determined it was current (at least for the moment), so I got to work.

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Fedora KDE’s look and feel is considerably more modern than Kubuntu’s, and I’m fully supportive of that. Fedora KDE looks closer to what KDE Plasma should look like, right down to the floating panel.

Fedora’s preinstalled software

Similar to Kubuntu,